First cook with new WSM

[Bob McFadden]

I got my WSM last week, but couldn't cook last week-end. I decided to try it out tonight. I put a 10lb. (after trimming) brisket on at 9:10 for an all nighter. I'm using time estimates I've seen here of 11/2 hrs per pound, so I'm looking at taking it off around noon. We are not planning on eating until 3:00. If it gets done early I'll foil & ice chest, if its not done I've got some extra time. I'm hoping the weatherman misses his guess. They are calling for winds 20-30 and 90% chance for rain, temp is 45*. /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif I guess if you're not living on the edge you're taking up too much space. I'll post the results.

 

[Mike Provance]

The wind will affect your finished product lots more then the rain.

 

[Jim_W]

Good luck with your first cook, I hope you have a wind screen!! /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif

 

[Bob McFadden]

Wind didn't cause any problems, the patio gave me enough of a wind block I guess. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif I woke up off & on during the night (anxious about the wind), but the smoker temp was pretty steady at 246*. At 6;30 though it was 263* I got up to adjust vents and turn brisket. That's when I started to get concerned. I added hot water and inserted ET-73 meat probe. Smoker temp shot to 300*(note to self, use COOL water next time!) and meat was showing 194*. I've got all vents closed, the temp is 266* and dropping, meat is 201*. This is way ahead of my 11/2 hrs.per pound estimate. I'm thinking about pulling it off and foiling/ice chest. Its 7:50 and maybe move dining time up, or I think I've read somewhere about going to 205*. Any thoughts? /infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif

 

[Guest]

Bob
Yes the brisket is ready to come off now. Foil it and put it your cooler.

Still a long time until your planned dinner.
You may have to put it in an oven later just to keep the temperature up.

I have the exact same situation going on right now with 2 butts that came off at 7 AM.

Peter

 

[Doug D]

A couple of thoughts: A brisket taken to 205* in the WSM and then foiled and held may well end up more like pot roast-- very tasty, but not easily sliceable. If you note the three brisket cook articles on the website, the two that note a finishing temp of 205* are both foiled and oven-finished. That accelerated, high temp finish appears to allow a higher final temp without the end result being falling-apart, so it would seem.

As regards your cooker temp spike, I would blame an opened cooker giving a rush of oxygen to the coals, rather than the hot water. I, too, would have chosen hot over cool, given the same situation.

Curious as to why you waited so long to set up the ET-73. It would have told you you were getting close much earlier than planned. Like they say, every brisket is different, so you always have to rely on your thermometer first, and rough guides of hours-per-pound as merely guesstimates.

 

[Bob McFadden]

The guests just left and the dinner went well. The brisket was overdone, the slices didn't hold together until in the middle of the brisket, however the taste was very good. I should have pulled it off at 7:50 like I thought and Peter said. I had got the temp to drop on the brisket so I reasoned it could stay a little longer, thinking I wouldn't have to foil for so long. I pulled it at 10:30. Flawed reasoning. Doug D. was right on "more like pot roast". I waited to use the thermometer on the meat because I thought I had read somewhere if you used it from the very start they sometimes give erroneous readings. I probably won't do that again. All in all,I'm very happy with the WSM, it performed great in the wind & rain, I didn't have any trouble controlling temps until I started "helping" it. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif Thanks for all the help, I've learned a lot here. Peter, how did the butts turn out?

 

[Guest]

Bob
You might be your toughest critic, your guests probably never had better brisket. And along the way you learned a lot. So don't worry about your first attempt, they only get better. I cooked briskets for 19 years on my kettle and I thought they were OK, until I got my WSM. The difference was night and day....I'll never cook brisket any other way.

Some more advice: pay attention to Kevin Taylor's brisket posts. He has helped me enormously....lots & lots of helpful hints.

My butts were delicious. They finished earlier than I thought, but I kept them warm in foil & in the oven and then under towels waiting for dinner tonight. I pulled one and froze the other for later this week. Thanks for asking.

Peter